This is a tribute to Eric Stevenson, who died on April 6,2023 from Carolyn Malian and friends of Eric.
Early Years
Eric was born on Boxing Day 1928 in Mayfield NSW, and like many others in the Great Depression his parents struggled financially. By age five he learned to grow vegetables, and after leaving school trained as an Electrical Fitter Mechanic. As a young adult he was converted by a friend’s father, a Baptist Minister. However he realises later that his “beliefs were not conducive to the development of a mature world view…but they were sincere, compassionate and strictly honest.” In 1950-1 he joined the Christian Radio Missionary Fellowship as a volunteer tradesman. It was at this time he met Ruth Anderson. They kept in touch when Eric departed for the New Guinea Highlands where he established a radio station, did surveying and excavating work for a hydro-electric canal, and lived and worked with local people as well as missionaries from Europe.
Parish Ministry
Returning to Australia in 1958 Eric was accepted by the Methodist Conference to study theology. He and Ruth married that year and Eric was given a student pastorate in the Mortdale-Bexley circuit. At the bus stop on the way home of his first night at college he wrote in his diary from then on I will open myself to truth no matter from whom or from where it was revealed to me. It was a big milestone on his spiritual journey. Their daughter Dorothy was born in 1959. Youth work flourished and a Senior Citizens Centre was established by Eric. Their son David was born in 1961, and Eric was ordained in 1963. He then moved to Lugarno where he helped establish what became the Lugarno Uniting Church, and then to Penshurst.
Mental Health Chaplaincy
Eric undertook university studies after finishing his Licentiate in Theology with Melbourne College of Divinity and was then invited to the position of Chaplain with NSW Mental Health Services, and in 1965 became the first Protestant Chaplain to Gladesville Mental Hospital; his roles included group therapist and counsellor. Over the next ten years he trained volunteers, help found the Marrickville Centre for Human Services, submitted Grant Applications to the Australian Government, became the Secretary to the NSW Council for Clinical Pastoral Education and ran seminars for Doctors, Clergy, Funeral Directors and Social Workers.
Social Planner
Between 1974 and 1976 Eric was involved in research of Welfare Services delivery and carried out demographic data analysis, plus he nurtured positive relationships with emerging migrant and ethnic agencies. Eric, as Director of the SW Sydney Regional Social Development Council, distributed $3 million over a three-year period. In 1977 he graduated MA Psychology from Macquarie University: his thesis included 50 volunteers visiting patients with chronic mental illness.
Uniting Church Marriage & Family Counselling Service (Unifam)
All the skills and experience Eric consolidated along with his growing professional interest in marriage counselling led him in 1977 to become appointed the inaugural Director of Unifam. This Service had at least seven fully-staffed offices in Sydney and suburbs as well as in regional areas and Eric visited them all regularly. Many counsellors had access to other church venues to ensure Unifam’s services were accessible to a variety of clients. Eric maintained very high standards of selection, training and ongoing supervision of the clinical staff, even though they worked un-paid until the 1990s. Under his leadership a training Institute was established with some graduates chosen to work for Unifam. Eric had marvellous networking skills and recruited professionals to provide Unifam with consultancy, management and legal services pro bono. Until grants were provided by the Federal Government a number of Uniting churches gave regular donations to Unifam to assist with the running costs. Eric’s leadership was inspiring – he demonstrated respect for all, practical solutions (like ensuring counselling rooms were well sound-proofed), courage to innovate (despite opposition at times) and nurtured his staff like a kind father. Eric, while head of Unifam, and with the close cooperation of the Family Court introduced Family Mediation services across Australia in 1987. In his retirement speech in 1994 he stated that his experiences “enabled me to see the spirit of Jesus not as the champion of chosen churches, but as the one who meets people of all persuasions and who leads them through pain and misunderstanding into paths of mutual respect.”
Progressive Religion
In his retirement Eric remained active in his community, with Ruth and his family as well as pursuing his spiritual journey, which he described “as a life-long search for and an attempt to reach an understanding of the meaning of human existence.” His world-view had been broadened through his university studies and working with mental patients as well as his encounter with progressive religious thinkers, philosophers and scientists. It was a growing search for truth and love. He willingly entered a world of doubt, uncertainty and risk with less or no emphasis on the supernatural. He recognised more and more that life for many is terrible, full of prejudice, injustice, persecution, abuse, grief, abject poverty, disability and disaster. Eric took to heart the words of Bishop John Shelby Spong; he sought “to love wastefully, live fully and be the best person that I can be.” Eric led a study group exploring together these beliefs at the North Ryde UC for ten years and following Canberra-based Rex Hunt’s establishment of The Centre for Progressive Religious Thought in 2002 Eric applied and was granted permission to begin a CPRT in Sydney. In October 2004 Rev Professor (now Sir) Lloyd Geering (from NZ) officially opened the Sydney CPRT. When Jonothan Rea and Rex Hunt suggested holding a national “progressive religion” conference Eric was invited to become a member of the organising Committee. The first “Common Dreams” conference was held in Sydney at Pitt street UC in 2007 with prominent overseas and local speakers including Bishop Spong (USA) and Dr Greg Jenks, Dr Val Webb and Rabbi Jonathan Keren Black from Australia. A total of five such Conferences were held between 2007 and 2019. Eric found a spiritual home with the Spirit of Life Unitarian Fellowship in Kirribilli in his later years, where he was a regular and welcomed presenter, often leading their Gathering Services.
Final Years
Eric was extremely honest, stubborn, practical, clear-thinking and generous. He wanted to find meaning outside institutions and institutional structures. His life was centred on love for others, especially the disadvantaged, and helping others live an abundant life. He continued growing his own vegetables, and sharing them with others; he became adept at lapidary and silver jewellery- making and even learnt to solve Sudokus. Ruth, his adored wife died in 2009 after many years suffering from dementia; Eric’s care for her was constant, deep and inspiring. When Ruth entered a nursing home Eric visited her every second day, helping to feed her long after she knew who he was. After spending his last few weeks in a nursing home Eric died on Maundy Thursday 6 April, 2023. Like the words of Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah” which were played at his Memorial service, Eric was someone who sought to find Peace in Brokenness, Truth in Love and Joy in Life. He was a person who took risks to help when someone was hurting, accepted everyone as equals and stood up against structures which were unfair – in other words, a person quite like Jesus!
May he be resting in Peace.
Please join Spirit of Life Unitarian Fellowship in welcoming Anthony Venn-Brown as our speaker on 23 January. Services are held each Sunday as follows. Visitors welcome.